Building Stronger Partnerships with Stationery Distributors
Behind every successful product range is a strong partnership with distributors. For us, working closely with our stationery distributors worldwide means sharing ideas and knowledge, and gaining a deeper understanding of the wholesale market.
Recently, Kevin and Asumi from our European sales team had the pleasure of joining our Spanish distributor, Comercial del Sur de Papelería S. L, at their annual sales meeting. They met with their team of 25 sales representatives, offering a unique opportunity to share new developments and introduce new opportunities across Artline’s Arts & Crafts Japanese stationery ranges.
The meeting was also a valuable opportunity to introduce our new Arts & Crafts catalogue, developed with the support and input of Comercial del Sur. Working closely with our Spanish distributor has helped us to further understand the Spanish market and explore exciting opportunities for the brand.
Alongside introducing the new products, the meeting allowed the Shachihata team to share product knowledge and give the sales team a better understanding of the high-quality stationery Artline & Xstamper offers.
Introducing Our Arts & Crafts and Japanese Stationery Range
We introduced several new products from our Arts & Crafts catalogue, including Nototo 10, which proved particularly popular with Spanish end-users when we hosted our first Journaling workshop. Customers were taken with the high-quality pre-inked stamps with their cute Japanese impressions.
Alongside the new journaling range, we also explored existing products that are seeing growing interest, including Artline Non-Press paint markers, popular for industrial applications. Giving the sales team a clear understanding of these products helps them identify the right opportunities, particularly for specialist products such as non-press paint markers, which thrive in warehouse, industrial or practical environments.
Our distributors are an important link between our products and the market. Providing the right knowledge is also essential to build a long-lasting and successful wholesale partnership.
Giving Sales Teams First-Hand Product Experience
The meeting included a 30-minute presentation, where Shachihata team member Kevin introduced the products, shared our vision for the market and explained key USPs. Rather than flicking through a catalogue, the sales representatives had the opportunity to experience the products first-hand. Each team member received a sample bag containing a selection of products, including:
• Iromoyo ink pads for journaling
• Iromoyo Warabe mini ink pads
• Artline water-based Supreme Brush Pens
• Nototo Join stackable pre-inked stamps for journaling
• Nototo Roll pre-inked rolling stamp for journaling
• Irodori multi-coloured ink pad sets
• Artline Non-Press Paint Markers for industrial environments
• Iroitoshi Traditional rubber stamp sets for journaling
Gaining a more practical understanding of key products helps the sales team build a stronger understanding of the ranges before introducing them to their customers. The meeting also gave us the chance to speak directly with the sales team, answer their questions and hear their feedback.
Supporting Our Wholesale Partners Experience
By the end of the meeting, the team knew the range back to front. But for us, the meeting was more than product introductions. It was a valuable opportunity to strengthen our relationship, share ideas and ensure the team had the knowledge and resources needed to represent our brand and support customers. Supporting our stationery partners and distributors is at the heart of what we do. Our team endeavours to provide up to date marketing materials, knowledge, and hands-on training to ensure the very best support.
Direct communication with our distributors also gives us a better understanding of individual markets. Every market has its own needs, and listening to the people working directly with customers helps us understand how our products can be supported and developed. The meeting also highlighted the value of making product knowledge practical. Providing samples gives sales teams an opportunity to experience products in a way that a catalogue alone cannot provide. And, of course, who doesn’t like a freebie?
Growing Together Through Strong Distributor Partnerships
We would like to thank everyone at at Comercial del Sur de Papelería S. L for their time and enthusiasm. Sharing product knowledge, ideas and experiences is the best way to strengthen our partnerships. By working closely with our distributors, we can continue to introduce Japanese stationery for arts & crafts and journaling, develop opportunities in the market and grow together.
We look forward to creating more opportunities like this with our distributors across Europe and continuing to build strong partnerships for the future. Interested in our products or becoming a wholesale partner? Get in touch with our team to discover more about our stationery ranges and wholesale opportunities at eusales@shachihata.eu
